Butter-chip maker



March 2, 1943. M, J WENBERG 2,312,511

BUTTER-CHIP' MAKER Filed Jgn. 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A-rToRNEYs Patented Mar. 2, 1943 UNHTED STAT ,'EENT @WEEE 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to a new and irnproved apparatus for forming butter chips or patties and has for its primary objectl the provision of a device of this character that will produce butter in chip form and simultaneously ornament and/or emboss each formed chip.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that will readily convert butter from print or bulk form, into ornamented chips or patties, which includes a novel means for assuring removal of the ornamented chips whereby they may be stacked or packaged for future use which is especially advantageous for hotel or restaurant trade.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a butter chip maker comprising inner and outer frames supported in sldable relation, the inner frame embodying means for varying the number of chips or patties to be formed from a given quantity of butter, said inner frame cooperating with the outer frame to form a butter receiving chamber.

The invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended-claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view illustrating a slab of butter in the process of ornamenting and chip making being taken substans tially on line I-I of Figure 2,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the inner frame with the impresser head removed and illustrating the formation-of butter chips, the cuter frame being shown in dotted outline,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the impresser head looking into the head.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the outer frame removed from the inner frame.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of a modied form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description thereof, the improved butter chip maker is generally designated by the reference numeral 8 and comprises an inner frame 9, outer frame I0 and impresser head Il. The inner and outer frames are substantially rectangularshaped, one frame being slidable relative to the other. The inner frame 9 can be urged downwardly by means of the openings I2 formed in each end wall of the outer frame It, which openings are for the purpose of receiving a finger as described in my Patent #2,193,014 issued March 12, 1940. The openings I2 are also adapted to receive a finger and rest the same upon the bottom wall of the inner frame, for holding said inner frame while releasing the impresser head from the slab of butter and for disengaging the outer frame from the inner frame.

As more clearly shown in Figures i and 2 of the drawings, the bottom wall I3 of the inner frame projects below the bottom flange Ill, of the outer frame. Thus the bottom wall I3 forms a support for the device with the outer frame I0 being entirely supported on the inner frame 9. The upper end -of the outer frame I0 is formed with an inwardly extending ange portion I5 which rests upon the outer edge of the inner frame when said frames are assembled as shown in Figures l and 2 of the drawings.

The inner frame 9 comprises top and bottom walls I 6 and I3, respectively, side walls I'i and I8, with the ends of said frame being open, whereby there is provided a substantially hollow rectangular-shaped structure. The outer frame Il) comprises side walls I9 and end walls 20, said end walls being formed with the aligned openings l2 as previously described.

It will be readily apparent that the flanges I5 formed on the outer frame IS permit upward movement only of the outer frame or downward movement only of the inner frame. Since the inner frame 9 forms the base or supporting structure for the device, in actual practice, when desiring to remove the formed butter chips from the top wall thereof, as will be hereinafter described, the outer frame will be preferably lifted upwardly.

The top wall I5 of the inner frame in conjunction with the anges I5 of the outer frame iii forms a receiving chamber for a slab of butter 2i to be ornamented and divided into chip form by the impresser head Il. If desired, a print of butter can be positioned within the butter cham.- ber and a slab of butter of the thickness of the chamber sliced therefrom by means of a wire cutter or the like, such as described in my Patent #2,147,684, issued February 21, 1939. Or if desired, butter in slab form corresponding to the thickness of the chamber can be used and the same will rest upon the top wail i6.

The present invention comprehends the use of a support or carrier 22 positioned on the upper face of the top wall I6 on which the butter to be or-namented into chip form is disposed. The carriers 22 may be formed of parchment paper, relatively thin cardboard, metal or the like and preferably project laterally beyond each end of the inner frame to form tabs 23 adapted to be engaged by the operator of the device when removing the ornamented chips from their support. The carriers 22 will be held in position on the upper face of the top wall I 6 by means of the flanges I5, when releasing the impresser head from the slab of butter, as is readily apparent from an inspection of Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The ornamented chips will be formed by means of the impresser head on the butter disposed on the carriers and are then removed intact andlreadily stacked for storing in a refrigerator. This is especially desirable when forming a multiplicity of chips for future use in hotels, restaurants, and

the like.

Since the manner of using the impresser head II had been fully described in my previouspatents, it is not believed that further elaboration is necessary in connection with the present invention. The impresser head, as in my previous patents, is formed with a perimeter or confining blade 24 adapted Yto confine the butter within the chamber and to prevent overflow thereof when pressure is applied to the head for ornamenting purposes, longitudinally and transversely extending cutting blades 25 and ornamenting means2B, all formed on the inner surface of the impresser head. The ornamenting means 26 ornaments or Vembosses the surface of the butter as indicated Vthat the bottom wall I3 is recessed around the periphery thereof to form a shoulder 29 whereby upon reversing the position of the inner frame so that the top wall I6 will form a support-,for the device and the bottom wall I3 will receive a carrier and the slab of butter, the flange I5 will be supported on the shoulder 29. It will be readily seen that the frames being disposed in this manner will create a butter chamber formed by the upper surface of the wall I3 and the flange I5, of a smaller size than the butter chamber formed by the wall I6 and flange I5. With the butter chamber smaller in depth, a greater number of chips of a lesser thickness will be formed from a given quantity of bulk butter. The carrier 22 and impresser head are used in the manner previously described regardless of which wall is being used as a support for the butter. l

It is readily apparent from an inspection of Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings that the outer frame I0 rests solely upon the upper face of the inner frame 9 and that thel side walls of the outer frame do not extend downwardly to the level of the bottom wall I3 of said inner frame. There is, therefore, a clearance to be had on all sides of the inner frame with respect to the outer frame which enables Vthe latter to slide freely over the top face of the inner frame within the clearance limits. This shifting or sliding of the outer frame with respectto the inner frame allows for the proper centering of a slab of butter within the chamber, after detachment from a print or bulk of butter. It is necessary that the butter be properly positioned in order to obtain uniform butter chips and to prevent the clipping off of the chip edges by the perimeter blades 24 when the side edges of the butter are too close to the wall of the butter chamber. This shifting of the outer frame so as to properly center. the inner frame can be accomplished by inserting a lngerthrough one of the openings I2 and bringing the same into engagement with the bottom wall of the inner frame to hold the same while shifting the outer frame laterally. The outer rframe is shiftable relative to the inner frame regardless of which wall is being used as a support for the butter, that is either the top wall or the vbottom wall.

.The outer edges of the frame I0 are bevelled as indicated at 30 to facilitate placement of the impresser head II and the inner face of the flange I4 is bevelled as indicated at 3| to facilitate placement of the inner or b-ase frame, as is readily apparent from an inspection of Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings.

In Figure 4 of the drawings, there is more specifically disclosed the impresser head II and particularly the inside thereof which contains the longitudinal and transverse cutting blades'25 and ornamenting means 26.Y The perimeter blades 24 are formed with notches 32 which serve as air vents and are designed to eliminate air pockets and air resistance when impressing the head upon the butter. Itwill be noted that the letters or ornamenting means 2B are likewiseprovided with notches or vents 33 which allow the escape of air outwardly beyond the perimeter blades 24 and into the space between said blades and the side walls of the head. Lugs 34 lare attached to each corner of the head as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, and normally contact the outer frame flange I5 during the ornamenting and chip forming operation and restrict adhesion to a minimum between the surfaces. The lugs also prevent contact of the impresser head with the flange, except at the point of contact with the lugs, to provide a space such as indicated at 35 in Figure l of the drawings to allowl for the escapement of air through and downwardly along the top side of the outer flange between said frame and the corners formed in the side Walls ofthe head. The bevelled corners 30 of the outer frame and the vents 32 formed in,

the side walls of the impresser head also facilitate the escapement of air, and thus it will be seen that air Vescapes from the confines of the letters or ornamenting means 26 outwardly through the cutting blades and beyond the impresser head. The perimeter blades 24, as aforeindicated, perform the important function of detaching the butter pats from the side walls of the butter chamber to thereby prevent adhesion to the outer frame when said frame is lifted relative to the inner frame. It will thus be seen that a novel type of impresser head has also been provided which will properly ornament the surface of the butter and simultaneously form longitudinal and transverse cuts therein while permitting the escapement of air. In other words, the completed structure assures greater adhesion of the butter to the carrier on the base face than to the impresser head, which is an indispensable feature in forming and ornamenting butter pats.

VInFigure 6 of the drawings, there is shown a modified form of the invention in which the butter chamber is made variable by the character of the inner frame employed. In this form of the invention, the inner frame 35 is substantially square-shaped and comprises top and bottom walls 31 and 33, respectively, and side walls 39 and 4i), respectively. The upper surface of one wall of the inner frame when associated with the flanges 4l of the outer frame 42 forms a chamber for receiving a slab of butter 43. It will be observed that each wall of the inner frame iS formed with a shoulder on which the flange 4I is adapted to rest when forming and ornamenting the butter chips. The shoulder 44 of the wall 31 is of greater depth than the shoulder 45 of the wall 39, and the shoulder 45 is of greater depth than the shoulder 46 formed on the wall 35. Thus when using the surface A there will be formed butter chips of a lesser thickness than butter chips formed on the surface B, and butter chips formed on the surface C will be thicker than chips formed when employing the surface B, while chips formed by using the surface D will be of still greater thickness as the face thereof will be flush with the underside of the flanges 4|. Thus, reducing the depth of the shoulders increases the depth of the butter chambers and when the depth of the butter chambers is in creased there is reduced the number of chips to be formed from a given quantity of butter. A carrier 41 may also be employed in this form of the invention, the same as in the preferred form, said carrier projecting beyond each end of the inner frame to form tabs, not shown, for aiding in releasing formed chips. However, in this form of the invention as well as in the preferred form, the butter chips may be formed directly on the top face or wall of the inner frame instead of on the carrier.

If desired, the thickness of the supports or carriers 22 and 41 may be varied for varying the size of the butter chamber. In other words, the thicker the carrier the smaller the depth of the butter chamber.

Also it will be understood, of course, by those skilled in the art that variations in the hereinabove described device involving the substitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended to be comprehended within thc spirit of the present invention and that the invention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising, an inner framehaving top, side and bottom walls, an outer frame having side and end walls loosely disposed over said inner frame, the upper end of the outer frame having an inwardly extending iiange adapted to rest upon the top wall of the inner frame to form therewith a butter receiving chamber, and means associated with said outer frame adapted to engage the surface of butter in said butter chamber for forming an impression thereon. Y

2. A device of the character described, comprising, an inner frame having top, side and bottom walls, an outer frame having side and end walls loosely disposed over said inner frame, the upper end of the outer frame having an in- Wardly extending ange, said inner frame being formed with shoulders which cooperate with said outer frame to form a variable butter receiving chamber, and means associated with said out-er frame adapted to engage the surface of butter in said butter chamber for forming an impression thereon.

3. A device of the character described, comprising, an inner frame having top, side and bottom walls, an outer frame having side and end walls loosely disposed over said inner frame, the upper end of the outer frame having an inwardly extending ange adapted to rest upon the top wall of the inner frame to form therewith a butter receiving chamber, means removably attached to the top wall of said inner frame for supporting a slab of butter within said chamber, and means associated with said outer frame adapted to engage the top surface of said slab of butter for forming an impression thereon.

4. A device of the character described comprising, an inner frame having top, side and bottom walls, an outer frame having side and end walls loosely disposed over said inner frame, the upper end of the outer frame having an inwardly extending flange, the top wall of said inner frame and the inwardly extending flange of said outer frame forming a butter receiving chamber, means disposed on the top wall of said inner frame and projecting laterally beyond each end thereof for supporting a slab of butter within said chamber, and means associated with said outer frame adapted to engage the surface of said slab of butter for forming an impression thereon.

5. In a device of the character described, a support section providing a flat unbroken top face, a frame section having a depending wall slidably fitted about the support section, the said frame section being provided with an inwardly directed flange disposed to rest upon the margin of the top face of the support section and to define a butter receiving chamber on the said face, the said support, section having the sides stepped exteriorly of the top face to form support shoulders at successively varying levels below the top face, and an impressor head adapted to be slidably fitted over the frame section for forming impressions in the butter in the chamber.

MAURICE J. WEINBERG. 

